If you are looking for a restaurant-style paneer makhani recipe, your search ends here. Bookmark this multi purpose makhani gravy recipe.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
- My Tried and True Tips
- Watch Paneer Makhani Video
- Serving Suggestion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Paneer Makhani Recipe
According to Google, there are millions of results when you search for a ‘paneer makhani recipe’.
So what makes this one special? – The homemade makhani gravy masala is the answer. The magical makhani masala of mine can be prepared in advance and is freezer friendly. This is the curry paste behind all my drool-worthy restaurant-style Indian makhani dishes.
Now no need to rush to the nearby Indian restaurant for your favourite murgh makhani or paneer butter masala. Prepare a batch of makhani masala over the weekend and store it in the fridge.
This paneer makhani is one of those Indian food recipes I have made so many times on different occasions, and each time it has gotten me tons of compliments.
My Tried and True Tips
- Soak paneer in lukewarm water for 8 – 10 minutes. This process makes the paneer super soft and mouth-melting.
- Use the bright red ripe tomatoes for the gravy. These tomatoes will give colour to the gravy.
- After grinding, filter the makhani gravy using a sieve before adding paneer. This step makes the gravy restaurant style smooth and luscious.
- Do not add too much water while grinding the masala, as the paneer butter masala has a thick and luscious gravy.
- Add ¼ cup of regular or cashew milk to get the desired c onsistency if the makhani gravy is too thick.
- Instead of sugar, you can also use ¼ cup tomato paste or ketchup . Nowadays, no onion, garlic tomato sauce, or ketchup is readily available in supermarkets.
- I highly recommend using Kashmiri red chillies , which are mild in taste and give a bright colour to the gravy.
Watch Paneer Makhani Video
Serving Suggestion
Paneer Makhani and Naan is a favourite food combination of many food lovers worldwide, including mine. It is the ultimate comfort food.
This Indian main course gravy dish tastes perfect with whole wheat naan , paratha, roomali roti, lachha paratha, or jeera rice .
Store the leftover paneer makhani in the refrigerator. While reheating, add ¼ cup of milk to get that creamy consistency. Use the same sauce to make makhani pasta , soya chaap butter masala , or the chicken tikka masala.
The only difference between the two paneer dishes is the grilling paneer before adding it to the gravy. The cubes are marinated and grilled in paneer tikka masala to get a smokey flavour in the gravy. The paneer butter masala cubes are neither grilled nor fried separately. The taste, texture, and colour of both Indian paneer recipes are more or less similar.
Yes, tasty paneer makhani can be prepared without using onion or garlic. My Jain Paneer Makhani Recipe is a huge hit among friends and family who cook without onion/garlic.
More Paneer Recipes
- Chilli Paneer
- Paneer Curry
- Paneer Tikka
- Paneer Jalfrezi
- Paneer Kofta Curry
- Dhaba Style Matar Paneer
- Achari Paneer Tawa Pulao
Get all of my 15+ Best Paneer Recipes here
Ingredients
- ▢ 500 gram paneer (cottage cheese)
- ▢ 1 Cup makhani masala
- ▢ 2 tablespoon ghee or butter
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ▢ Salt to taste
- ▢ 1 bay-leaf
- ▢ 4 tablespoon fresh cream
- ▢ ¼ Cup full-fat milk (optional)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
- Cut the paneer into equal size cubes and set aside.
- Next, prepare the makhani masala as suggested in the recipe here .
- Heat butter or ghee in a pan over medium flame.
- Add bay leaf along with the makhani masala . Stir to combine and cook the masala over low heat for 4 – 5 minutes.
- Now add the cream, salt to taste, garam masala , paneer cubes and milk. Mix nicely and allow the makhani gravy to simmer for 10 – 15 minutes over low heat. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Once the makhani gravy gets the desired consistency, turn off the heat. Add crushed kasuri methi and stir to combine.
- Garnish paneer makhani with cream and fresh coriander leaves just before serving.
- Serve Paneer Makhani with naan , jeera rice or lachha paratha.
Recipe Notes:
- Makhani Masala can be prepared few days before as well and can be stored in the fridge. Or you can make it from scratch just before making the dish.
- If you prefer makhani gravy real thick then skip adding milk. I add milk to tone down the thickness of the gravy.
- Many recipes suggest marinating and frying paneer before adding in the masala. But I feel frying makes paneer chewy. So I never follow this step in any of my paneer curry recipes.
- Instead of fresh cream, you can use either cashew nuts paste/poppy seeds paste to make a rich and creamy makhani gravy.
Nutrition
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Paneer Makhani Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
- Blender
Ingredients
- 500 gram paneer (cottage cheese)
- 1 Cup makhani masala
- 2 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 bay-leaf
- 4 tablespoon fresh cream
- ¼ Cup full-fat milk (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
Instructions
- Cut the paneer into equal size cubes and set aside.
- Next, prepare the makhani masala as suggested in the recipe here .
- Heat butter or ghee in a pan over medium flame.
- Add bay leaf along with the makhani masala . Stir to combine and cook the masala over low heat for 4 - 5 minutes.
- Now add the cream, salt to taste, garam masala , paneer cubes and milk. Mix nicely and allow the makhani gravy to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes over low heat. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- Once the makhani gravy gets the desired consistency, turn off the heat. Add crushed kasuri methi and stir to combine.
- Garnish paneer makhani with cream and fresh coriander leaves just before serving.
- Serve Paneer Makhani with naan , jeera rice or lachha paratha.
Video
Notes
- Makhani Masala can be prepared few days before as well and can be stored in the fridge. Or you can make it from scratch just before making the dish.
- If you prefer makhani gravy real thick then skip adding milk. I add milk to tone down the thickness of the gravy.
- Many recipes suggest marinating and frying paneer before adding in the masala. But I feel frying makes paneer chewy. So I never follow this step in any of my paneer curry recipes.
- Instead of fresh cream, you can use either cashew nuts paste/poppy seeds paste to make a rich and creamy makhani gravy.
Nutrition
Here is a Northern India style matar ghugni recipe made using fresh green peas, potatoes, and spices.
- What is ‘Ghugni’?
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Watch Ghugni Video
- Serving Suggestion
- Matar Ghugni Recipe
What is ‘Ghugni’?
Ghugni is the name of an Indian casserole made with fresh peas. It is a sweet, spicy, and savoury. Fresh green peas are the star of this vegan and gluten-free ghugni recipe.
There are various versions of the ghugni recipe popular across India. In Bengal, a ghugni is made with dried white peas (you can find the one-pot recipe in my cookbook ), whereas across North India, it is made during the winter season with fresh green peas like matar ka nimona or kachori .
Why You’ll Love Ghugni
- one-pot meal, easy to cook
- gluten, dairy, and nut-free
- wholesome and fulfilling
- lunchbox and meal-prep friendly
Ingredients You’ll Need
You need a few basic pantry staples for this matar ghugni recipe.
- Green Peas: A ghugni tastes best with fresh green peas. Fresh peas have a particular crunch and flavour to them. You can use frozen green peas if fresh aren’t available. Thaw and use them as suggested in the recipe.
- Vegetables: Onion, tomato, potato, spring onion, green chili
- Cooking Oil: We are using mustard oil for the extra kick in the flavour. Mustard oil lends a bold flavour to the dish. You can substitute it with ghee or coconut oil as well.
- Spices: Turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder
- Other Ingredients: Ginger and garlic paste , salt, fresh coriander
Watch Ghugni Video
Serving Suggestion
Matar Ki Ghugni can be served for breakfast or as a snack, along with a cup of masala tea . At my home, we enjoy ghugni with toasted bread slices.
If you’re feeling particularly peckish , you can eat this with a half fry egg on top – a wholesome breakfast at its best.
In many parts of India, ghugni is popular street food. Served with a variety of lip-smacking toppings such as onions, grated radish, and maybe even a green chutney , very similar to a chaat.
Do you love fresh green peas? I’d love you to try this Matar Poha , Crispy Matar Kachori , or the Bihari Style Matar Ka Nimona
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Ingredients
- ▢ 500 Gram Green Peas (matar)
- ▢ 1 Cup Onion, fine chopped
- ▢ 1 Cup Potato, cut into cubes
- ▢ 1 Cup Tomato, fine chopped
- ▢ ¼ Cup Spring Onion, chopped
- ▢ 1 Green Chilli, chopped
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
- ▢ Salt To taste
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder (jeera powder)
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ▢ ¼ Cup Mustard Oil (sarson oil)
Ingredients For Garnish:
- ▢ ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder (kali mirch)
- ▢ Juice of half a lemon
- ▢ handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Heat a heavy bottom skillet or pan over high flame.
- Add all the ingredients and mix nicely. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid.
- Cook ghugni until peas and potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Season with black pepper, lemon juice, and fresh coriander leaves.
- Serve Matar Ki Ghugni warm with a cup of tea.
Recipe Notes:
- If you are using frozen green peas, then cooking time may vary. Usually, frozen green peas take lesser time to cook.
- Adjust the number of green chilies as per personal taste preference.
- You can cook ghugni in a stovetop pressure cooker or instant pot as well. For instant pot, cook it in pressure cook mode for 6 minutes.
Nutrition
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